4 ms·
I have, in a drawer in my office, the motor and an absolutely fascinating motor drive board from an Electrolux washing machine that a colleague brought in. It
by buescher 5y ago
I have, in a drawer in my office, the motor and an absolutely fascinating motor drive board from an Electrolux washing machine that a colleague brought in. It appears to be a three-phase variable frequency drive (VFD) with an elegant architecture - an optically isolated digital interface to the rest of the controls allows it to use simple shunts for current sensing - and stunning attention to cost, with details like a silver through hole CEM-3 PCB. (note this is no longer cheaper than plated-through FR4). It does have a monster TI DSP on it.
It's about 20 years old. Your appliances have been more sophisticated than you think for longer than you think.
It is surprising, of course, that someone would rip up a new washing machine for parts, but not shocking. I imagine it would have to be very specifically for low-volume, high margin industrial equipment, which the article hints at but does not make explicit.
- BeefWellington 5y agoIndeed, and in some cases the experiences have gotten worse. There's a Youtube channel named Technology Connections and he has several videos on this topic that I recommend. This one about Sunbeam toasters from 50+ years ago is particularly great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLk1cjZ4ll0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLk1cjZ4ll0
- rootbear 5y agoIt's a great channel. I was also fascinated by his rice cooker episode. I had no idea they were so clever, combining thermodynamics and the physics of magnetism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSTNhvDGbYI
- ChuckNorris89 5y ago>It's about 20 years old Back when Electrolux was a reputable brand.
- FpUser 5y agoLOL. Few years ago I was considering using VFD and motor from a washing machine for one of my commercial projects. Unfortunately the replacement part supplier had very limited stock so I went on to sourcing the motors and implementing controller myself which turned out to be more expensive.
- buescher 5y agoI read long ago that the SCR-584 was prototyped with washing machine parts, but the actual quote I found was "We would buy a washing machine if it would bring a quicker result."